Intro

Phonetics Phonology Morphology Semantics Syntax Pragmatics Formal Language Theory Automata Theory Psycho-linguistics Neuro-lingualistic programming

On the other end of things you’d be hearing those sound waves and translating them into speech sounds using your auditory apparatus. The study of the acoustics and articulation of speech is called phonetics. Once you’ve translated the waves of sound into mental representations of speech sounds, you analyze them into syllables and pattern them appropriately. For example, speakers of English know that the made-up word bluve is a possible word of English, but the word bnuck is not. This is part of the science called phonology. Then you take these groups of sounds and organize them into meaningful units (called morphemes) and words. For example, the word dancer is made up of two meaningful bits: dance and the suffix -er. The study of this level of Language is called morphology. Next you organize the words into phrases and sentences. Syntax is the cover term for studies at this level of Language. Finally, you take the sentences and phrases you hear and translate them into thoughts and ideas. This last step is what we refer to as the semantic level of Language.

Words as symbols. Sentence as concept.